


Is It Alive?

by ImaKaraTabiHe



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Bugs & Insects, Drabble, Entomophobia, Fear, M/M, but seriously, could be crack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2017-04-18
Packaged: 2018-10-20 12:25:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10662546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImaKaraTabiHe/pseuds/ImaKaraTabiHe
Summary: Black spots should not move, Barry Allen knows that for a fact.





	Is It Alive?

Barry was lounging on the couch, light turned low as he watched a documentary.  It was lonely, but Len assured him that as soon as he finished talking to Lisa, he’d join him.  He sighed, ‘Soon, I hope.’

Legs propped up on one armrest with a pillow under his head, he watched as a bat caught a bug.  “Bats eat a lot of bugs…” Barry noted, a quick flash of a dark spot catching his eye on the edge of the couch cushion.

_It moved._

Carefully, Barry sat up, eyes rooted to the spot and he flicked the lamp on.  The black spot scrambled over, and Barry fell over himself with a screech, flinging a dish towel at it.  _“Oh my god!”_

Len was just getting off the phone and pulling on a sweatshirt when he heard Barry scream and then a thud.  His arms tangled in the sweatshirt as he jerked it on, flying out to the living room.  “Barry!?”

Barry was standing in front of the couch, coffee table shoved away with a shoe in his hand.  “Shit!” Barry cried as he slammed the shoe on the ground with violent force and stilling.

“Barry…” Len cautiously approached, eyes trained to the shoe as Barry looked over at him.

“B-bug…” Barry replied, cheeks flushed with panic and shame.

Len nodded, understandingly.  “Did you get it?”

Lifting the shoe slowly, Barry eyed the motionless bug.  “I think so,” he replied, starting to relax.  And then Len noticed a twitch, and the fucker fled.

“Barry!” Len bellowed.

With a cry, Barry jumped back, slamming the shoe back down on the carpet and twisting with weight.  His breath came in gasps, body shaking slightly.  Barry lifted the shoe again, glaring at the bug.  “I think I…” and it moved again.  _“Fuck!”_   This time Barry shoved the heel of the shoe down, twisting and putting all his weight into it.

Minutes passed before Barry finally let up.  It stayed still.  They watched it like a hawk, but it didn’t move.

Barry vanished for a moment before reappearing with toilet paper in his hand.  He set the shoe aside and carefully picked the bug up with the bathroom tissue.  Holding his hand out like the bug might crawl out and bite him, Barry raced into the bathroom and flipped the lid up.  He dropped it into the water with relief.

The bug twitched, legs failing in the water and Barry shrieked, “No more!” and flushed the toilet.  He waited for a moment before lifting the lid and peering into the toilet.  He raised his head to find Len at the doorway.  “It’s gone,” Barry reported, shuddering.

“Thank fuck,” Len grunted as Barry washed his hands.  “You scared me,” he admitted when Barry stepped up to him.

Barry wrapped his arms around Len, relaxing into Len’s embrace.  “…It wouldn’t die.”  Len hugged him tightly.

“It’s gone now,” Len soothed, feeling Barry’s heart pound against his chest.  “Let’s get some hot chocolate, okay?”  He led Barry into the kitchen and, together they sat there, talking about trivial things late into the night until Barry could calm down.

Days later, Barry jumped at every bug, both real and imagined.  When Cisco steps on a wasp at STAR Labs, Barry calls from his safe spot in the hallway, “Is it alive?”

Bugs - always good to check and see if it’s still alive.


End file.
